Dec 16
Elfi Comments: Nothing says “serious astronaut” like Steven Tyler in a bubble-helmet.
Published 1982
Many thanks to Elfi!
Elfi Comments: Nothing says “serious astronaut” like Steven Tyler in a bubble-helmet.
Published 1982
Many thanks to Elfi!
December 16th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Those space beagles don’t look anything like normal beagles.
December 16th, 2010 at 10:48 am
“Nothing says “serious astronaut” like Steven Tyler in a bubble-helmet.”
OK, I’ll bite:
There’s something wrong with the ship today
I don’t know what it is
Something alien’s come insiiiide…
It’s big and mean with tentacles
If I don’t find it soon
It’s gonna eat me aliiiive…
We’re living with the Coeurl!
[Background chorus: but we thought that it was harmless…]
We’re living with the Coeurl!
[Background chorus: Only Nexialism can save us…]
December 16th, 2010 at 10:53 am
That suit’s got a huge oxygen tube. Or did he put on a vacuum cleaner by mistake?
December 16th, 2010 at 11:06 am
I hoped it would be a “Space Beagle” as in Charlie Darwin’s ship, but it doesn’t seem to be. Instead, I find space dragon, which is admittedly my favourite thing. Now I’m confused and don’t know how to react…
Mainly, I suppose, by wondering why spacemen get to have hip holsters and cowboy boots. That seems an excess of cool things that astronauts get to have.
December 16th, 2010 at 11:46 am
The helmet design isn’t structurally sound… the helmet seems to go all the way down to his chest (and down his back).
Why? So he can get a space-tan?
December 16th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
That helmet design… He’ll smash his face into it every time he tilts his head even slightly. To look down he has to bend at the waist.
Probably not any different from actual space suits with regards to having to bend… But the tilt & smash makes me think the soundtrack wouldn’t be Arrowsmith but more Simpson’s “doh’s”, cursing and the crack of broken noses.
December 16th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Herm: I think the idea of the book actually *is* a futuristic Charles Darwin sort of setup. I haven’t read it yet, mostly because I’ve been busy with actual science at University.
Regarding the cowboy boots: I’m really worried that Mr. Astronaut’s feet will get cold in those… I’ve never found them to be very insulating! But maybe that gray orb he’s standing on (Now that I look at it, is it a giant hard-boiled egg? O.o) will keep his feet warm.
That tube is obvy not his OXYGEN supply, I mean, that dragonthing could just nom right through it, right? Could be his lasso. Or his power cord.
I can’t imagine how he can see out the front of the bubble-helmet with his face so close to it like that. I’m sure he’d fog it up. I can’t even be in the lab with proper goggles without them fogging up – that thing would be just epic worse, I’m sure of it.
December 16th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Imagine the piano work that dragon could do. He could tickle the ivories like mad with those magic fingers … magic fingers make you feel alright.
The cowboy boots are a nice feature, they really bring out the color on the holster for his model 1950 — I mean 2950 Blasto-Ray(tm).
Dragon: “Can I play piano for your band?”
Tyler: “Dream on!”
December 16th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
“No, I’m not going to sing ‘Makin’ Love In An Elevator’ for you, alien dude. Now get off my spaceship. Scram. I’ve got a space gun and I’m not afraid to use it.”
December 17th, 2010 at 12:30 am
he’s pretty buff though
December 17th, 2010 at 7:33 am
You can almost hear it:
” Some people call me the space cowboy.
Yeah! Some call me the gangster of love.
Some people call me Maurice,
‘Cause I speak of the pompatus of love.”
And the Space Beagle backing him up with cool moves and his “Jazz Hands.”
December 17th, 2010 at 10:17 am
“Lets just say, I have my MANY fingers in MANY pies… but not right now. I just ate them.”
December 17th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Hang on, tentacles, yes. But I thought Coeurl of the impossible-to-spell name was supposed to be *black*? I mean, the original story was called _Black Destroyer_ and all. I’m sure van Vogt would have told us if he was bright red and yellow with flippers instead of legs.
December 17th, 2010 at 2:54 pm
Ok, where’s the space beagle then?
December 17th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
pretty true to story. the hero is supposed to look like a superman. missed opportunity to make the ship look like a beagle.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:00 am
Re: Nix’s comment
Was’nt the monster in “The Dark Destroyer”, Ixil, rather than the Coeurl…?
December 19th, 2010 at 7:37 am
The book cover would have been soooo much cooler with Snoopy on it.
January 14th, 2017 at 7:13 am
None of you will be surprised to know that this is the SFBC cover as well.
It’s several of his stories set aboard the Starship Beagle put together, so it has Coeurl and Ixil and some other stuff.
July 8th, 2022 at 2:50 pm
In space no one can hear you laugh when the tickle monster pounces.
July 8th, 2022 at 3:00 pm
The cover is nicely in focus. But what’s going on with the hand holding it? The fingertips look like they’re pressed against glass.
Elfi, did you have to stand outside the shop and take a photo through the window while a cohort held it up inside?
July 8th, 2022 at 3:20 pm
The book’s a complation-album, so here’s a playlist:
Snoopy vs the Red Dragon.
Ixil Sin
Nexial Healing
I Lost My Internal Organs to a Starship Trooper
Won’t Come Back from Spaceman’s Coeurl
Anabis in the UK
… and many more. To be honest, it’s aout forty years since I read it (with the Foss cover) and it just seemed like the same two stories twice over. To allow one anthropophagic ancient terror aboard your ship is unfortunate. To allow two smacks of carelessness.
July 8th, 2022 at 3:44 pm
The big tube on Steven Tyler’s suit is a constant vacuum machine, sucking any air out of the body of the suit and pumping it into the helmet bowl.
On the one hand, it magnifies any issues of Space Body Odor; on the other hand, it gives the spacesuit the skin-tight tautness needed in those situations where you must face the Galactic Chinese Tickle Monster.
July 8th, 2022 at 10:21 pm
TFW you accidentally fly your spaceship into the Chinese New Year’s parade.
I knew Xtl.
I had eggs implanted in me by Xtl.
You, sir, are no Xtl.
July 8th, 2022 at 10:36 pm
A few other takes on the Red Menace:
https://www.scottnicolay.com/media/2018/10/voyageofthespacebeagle-japaneseJuvenile1967.jpg
https://www.sffaudio.com/images13/1939-12-December-Astounding-0014.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-psgUACYI7wI/WDJEZBBzjuI/AAAAAAAAFwQ/VYW__HMItRA1pcrrbWZJBxx2X58CZZJ6gCLcB/s400/ixtl.jpg
July 9th, 2022 at 6:17 pm
And a belated lighter-in-the-air for @AR Yngve’s rendition of Livin’ on the Edge – GSS!
July 9th, 2022 at 10:52 pm
@Bruce: The Chinatown Association wasn’t too thrilled with Steven Tyler.
@Tat: “Won’t Get Couerled Again” (yeeeeaaaaahhhh!)
(Last time I saw The Who, Rog had to go offstage for a bit and rest and get a shot of something… probably oxygen… before he could come back on stage to do the “YEEEEAHHHH!”)